Youth Ministry
A welcoming community for middle and high school students
“I come because it’s different from other groups I belong to. It doesn’t matter what you are at school; here you can be more like you. It’s fun to be together with friends and do the trips, but sometimes there is something more. I can’t quite describe it, but that something more is why I keep coming back.”
– a First Church youth
FUMC Youth Ministry
The FUMC Youth Ministry engages all middle and high school students in a supportive, welcoming community that invites young people to grow in a life-long relationship with Christ and each other through service, worship, and fun. Click below for an overview of our program.
Upcoming Events
Service Project Sunday
Sunday, November 10 | 9:00-11:00AM | EDU Murchison Chapel
All are invited to stop by and help prepare Christmas gifts for our neighbors! We will assemble manna bags, decorate gift bags for the Christmas Eve Breakfast, and put together thank you gifts of hot cocoa for the teachers and staff at Pickle Elementary School. Come and go all morning long.
Youth Parent Meeting: “It’s Not Too Late”
Sunday, November 10 | 4:30-7:00PM | FLC Garrison Chapel
First Church has a deep commitment to the mental health and well-being of our youth. This school year, that includes an ongoing exploration of the arguments and recommended actions in Jonathan Haidt’s book, The Anxious Generation. A common refrain from middle and high school parents this fall has been “it’s kind of too late for us” or “the damage is already done because they already have phones.” If you have been feeling this way, this conversation is for you. Join us for a special discussion about the many things we CAN do to help our youth learn healthy socialization skills, reach their milestones, and connect or reconnect in community. This is a conversation for all youth parents as we explore the tools they need to grow and go out into the world. During this parent meeting, youth will view the movie, Life of Pi, as part of our Engage series on religion.
Advent Party
Sunday, December 1 | 10:00-10:45AM | FLC Great Hall
This year, Advent, the four-week season of expectant waiting and preparation for Christmas that marks the beginning of the Christian year, begins on Sunday, December 1. Take time to celebrate the season at this intergenerational event, which includes food, fellowship, and a chance to participate in activities to help you learn about and get ready for Advent at home. This will be the day’s faith formation event for children and youth so that families may enjoy the activities together. Advent devotionals for all ages will also be available to guide your experience of the season. To make an Advent wreath for your home, please use the button below to preorder the following wreath making kit(s): a traditional wreath with candles and greenery ($20) or a clay version for our younger participants ($5).
Connect for Tweens
Saturday, December 7 | 6:00-9:00PM | Family Life Center
All 5th, 6th, and 7th graders are invited to Connect, a time just for tweens! Connect helps kids bridge the transition between child and youth by helping tweens connect with each other and God, all while having tons of fun. Together, we will eat dinner, play games, talk pre-teen life, and give kids and parents a Saturday night break.
Register Now For Middle School Retreat
January 17-19, 2025 | Highland Lakes Camp, 5902 Pace Bend Road – North, Spicewood, TX
Unplug from the busyness of life and gather with friends old and new at the 2025 Youth MidWinter Retreat. Find space away from your phone to reset, relax, and connect with God and each other. Youth and adult volunteers from local United Methodist churches will spend Friday night to Sunday morning enjoying worship, fellowship, and fun in the beautiful hill country at Highland Lakes Camp in Spicewood, TX. The cost is $200 and covers food, transport and activities. Email Devon Bailey with questions about these events.
Register Now For High School Retreat
February 14-16, 2025 | Details TBA
All 9th -12th graders are invited to take a trip with this President’s Day weekend. Details are still being brought together, but our plan is to head toward the Texas coast for a weekend full of fun stops and good times. We will bring our air mattresses and sleeping bags for the overnights. The cost is $200, which covers food, transportation, and activities. Registration deadline is Sunday, December 1.
Sunday Schedule
Sunday School
Join us Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m. to wake up with fellowship, study, and donuts! We will gather for music and announcements, then split into middle school and high school groups to awaken to God’s word.
6th-8th grades meet in Room 202 in the Family Life Center
9-12th grades meet in Room 203 in the Family Life Center
Engage – Sunday Evenings
Engage is taking a little break for the summer, but once school starts, come Sunday nights to dig deeper through fellowship, study, and prayer. We will engage our whole selves in discussion, prayer, and worship…plus a whole lot of fun! Engage meets on Sunday nights weekly throughout the school year from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Family Life Center.
Connect – Self, Community, God
Our Tweens (5th, 6th, and 7th graders) are invited to join us as we build relationships, serve, and help youth connect to one another and with God during the transitional pre-teen years. Connect will meet periodically on Fridays from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Family Life Center.
Confirmation
Our 8th, 9th, and 10th graders are invited to take the next step in their faith journey. Confirmation is an opportunity to respond to the grace of God available to us, as acknowledged in Baptism, and to promise to live as a person of faith. Confirmands are asked to remember their Baptism, so we ask each of our participants to have been baptized prior to completing Confirmation. Confirmands will complete their Confirmation by being asked to take the same vows of membership in The United Methodist Church and our local congregation that all who join are asked.